Secret Oath

Arrogate – Absinthe Minded, by Quiet American

Bred in Kentucky by Briland Farm, Robert Mitchell, and Stacy Mitchell

Arrogate, one of the most brilliant runners of modern times, was euthanized at age 7 after developing an illness with neurological symptoms. He stood three breeding seasons at Juddmonte Farm, all of which saw stellar books of mares visit his court. Secret Oath, whose dam is a multiple stakes winner, has a chance to become his first Grade 1 winner when she faces colts in Saturday’s Arkansas Derby.

WHO’S HOT

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Just about every person who trains racehorses will tell you that when they meet someone not familiar with racing and their profession comes up in conversation, the first question they’re asked is, “Have you ever won the Kentucky Derby?”

Brad Cox said he’s not sure how to answer that.

“It would take five minutes to explain,” he said this week. “I’m not sure I’d say yes.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Luis Contreras will be aboard one of the highest profile horses of the Oaklawn Park meet Saturday when he teams with the filly Secret Oath in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby.

The points race for the Kentucky Derby is one of four stakes on the card that launches the annual Racing Festival of the South. This year, major stakes with total purses of $5.4 million will be run throughout the month of April.

Rodolphe Brisset oversaw Justify’s very early training before he was sent west to Bob Baffert, and on to a Triple Crown. Brisset is not about to make a prediction that We the People can follow in those footsteps, but he’s certainly hoping We the People – who, like Justify, did not race at 2 – can emulate Justify by winning a Grade 1 stakes race in his third start when he makes his stakes debut Saturday in the Arkansas Derby.

Sunland Park Derby winner Slow Down Andy was traveling to Kentucky on Tuesday to begin preparations for the Kentucky Derby, according to his trainer, Doug O’Neill.

Slow Down Andy picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday with his win in the Sunland Derby. Slow Down Andy also has 10 points from his win in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and ranks fourth on the current points leaderboard with 60.

Slow Down Andy earned a 86 Beyer Speed Figure in the Sunland Derby.

The ownership of Bye Bye Bobby has made the Sunland Park Derby runner-up eligible to the Triple Crown, trainer Todd Fincher said Tuesday.

The late nomination period for the 3-year-old series closed on Monday. Fincher said B4 Farms LLC made the horse eligible at a cost of $6,000.

Bye Bye Bobby earned 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his second-place finish to Slow Down Andy in the Sunland Derby on Sunday. He was beaten a half-length.

Slow Down Andy and Bye Bye Bobby both earned 86 Beyer Speed Figures in the Sunland Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - After missing a scheduled work on Sunday due to a minor setback earlier in the week, White Abarrio got in his final work for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby on Tuesday morning at Gulfstream Park, an easy three furlongs in 34.89 over a very fast track shortly after the second renovation break.

White Abarrio, who has not started since his impressive 4 1/2-length victory over Simplication in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 5, galloped out with plenty of energy after completing his drill, going a half-mile in 47.12 before easing up five panels in 1:00.85.

Grade 3, $500,000 Sunland Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Sunland Park, March 27, 2022
(50 Derby qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth)

Winner: Slow Down Andy, by Nyquist
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Owner: Reddam Racing
Beyer Speed Figure: 86

Grade 2, $1 million United Arab Emirates Derby, about 1 3/16 miles, Meydan, March 26, 2022
(100 Derby qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Crown Pride, by Reach the Crown
Trainer: Koichi Shintani
Jockey: Damian Lane
Owner: Teruya Yoshida
Beyer Speed Figure: N/A